Trust
by maiflower
Summary: Buffy is a freshman at UC Sunnydale. She meets the man of her dreams but when an old advisory comes back her life is thrown into turmoil. Spuffy. Sorry that all the chapters are in one but I couldn't get it to work properly. Enjoy anyway!


**Chapter One**

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A hand reached out and threw the alarm clock across the room. Buffy went back to sleep.

Half an hour later she woke up and reached out to check the time. _Where the hell is my clock? _Buffy sat up in bed and immediately clapped her hand to her head. _Oww. My head. _She remembered a bottle of vodka and a party at her friend Willows house. Buffy looked around her room and saw the demolished pieces of her alarm clock on the  
floor. _crap…shit. I did it again. That must be the third clock this semester._

When Buffy finally found her watch she stared at it for a few moments unbelieving. It was ten past ten. Her first lecture was at ten…she had missed it again. She quickly got up and rushed into the shower. She was dammed if she was going to miss her 11 o' clock.

Buffy Summers was a freshman in UC Sunnydale. Three weeks into college life and it already wasn't working out for her. Partying too much and not going to enough lectures. It was fun but she was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea…

Later that evening, after making her 11 o' clock and 2 o'clock (she skipped the 3 o' clock but she felt like she had done enough for one day), she was back in her dorm room getting ready for a night on the town. She had gotten over her hangover and was rearing to go. She pulled out her cell phone and dialled up Willow.  
"Hey girlie, ready to hit the road?"  
"Sorry Buff but I have a load of homework to do…you know how it is. Or you would if you ever turned up to Modern Lit 101!", Willow replied in an accusatory tone.  
"Ah come on Will, you know you'll give me the notes and I'll pass with flying colours. Like I always do!"  
"One of these days I won't be there to help you through and then what will you do?"  
"Don't worry I have it all worked out…all I have to do is sleep with the lecturer!"  
"But Buffy, they're marked by an extern…"  
"Willow! I was kidding! I wouldn't actually do that. So you coming or not?"  
"I really can't Buffy. Why don't you try Xander?"  
"He's out with Anya. Anniversary or some such pish. Wait! Did I just say that? I have been hanging around Giles waaay too much!"  
"Ya well, that is the curse of the Slayer!"  
"Too true! Talk soon Wills. Bye."  
"Bye"

Buffy hung up the phone. What was she to do now? _Patrol and go home I guess. God, what a waste of a night.  
_

**Chapter Two**

"That's what you get for slashing my favourite top."  
Buffy looked menacingly at the pile of dust at her feet and then sadly at the massive tear in her cashmere sweater.

"Why do they always have to go for the clothes?"  
"It makes them feel better for not getting your purse."

Buffy jumped and swung around, crouching into fighting position. What she saw was not a vampire but a tall, dark and handsome man. A human man at that.

"Amm…what?"

The stranger looked at her kindly and smiled. He had a lovely smile. Sorta crooked and smirk-like. But nothing like the one Spike used to wear before she dusted him in '98. _Thank God for that small mercy._

"I said that muggers always go for the clothes when they can't get your purse. You seem to have seen them off pretty well. Kudos!"  
"Thank you. I took self-defence" Buffy blushed at the lie. For some reason she didn't want to lie to this guy. She quietly spread the vamp dust around with her feet, trying to make the pile a little less conspicuous. The handsome stranger held out his hand.  
"Jimmy"  
Buffy caught his firm grip, "Buffy".  
"Nice to meet you Buffy. Amm, do you want to go get a drink or something? I think there is a club called the Bronze around here somewhere. I was trying to find it when I found you instead. Was supposed to meet friends but I guess they're gone now. I'd rather spend the night with you anyway"

Buffy smiled at his compliment, "I know where the Bronze is. So I guess you're new in town?"

The pair walked away talking easily, as if they had known each other for years.

**Chapter Three**

A sleepy voice answered the phone.

"Hello?"  
"Oh my God, Willow he's great and handsome and funny and…"  
"Buffy?"  
"Yup it's me. I meet a guy on patrol tonight and he is sooo fantastic!"  
"Vampire?"  
"No."  
"Daemon?"  
'No"  
"Government commando guy?"  
"What? Where did that come from? No."  
"Just a dream I had. Go have fun. See you bright and early tomorrow Buff. Night."  
"Night Will"

Willow hung up and cuddled into the warm figure beside her.  
"Was that Buffy?"  
"Ya it was. She met a guy on patrol and felt it necessary to tell me at half three in the morning. Go back to sleep now Tara. I love you."  
"I love you too. Night baby."

"So what you doing in college?"  
"Sociology and Psychology. Joint major. I'm a senior now. Just transferred here from Ireland. It's a fantastic opportunity. Not the best college but it could be worse. I could be at home with it raining on me!"  
"I wondered where the accent was from. I knew an Irish man before but he was in this country so long he had lost his accent." Buffy remembered Angel. _Screw him. He's not taking over this night from me.  
_"Oh really? What part?"  
"Galway I think. Never really asked him about home. It had painful memories for him."  
"Well I'm a Kerry man myself. I love Galway though. Great party town."  
"I thought all Irish towns were great party towns. Where do stereotypes go when you want them?" Jimmy laughed at that. She liked when he laughed. It made his entire face light up and it felt like he brought sunshine into the world.

"My God look at the time. I have a nine o clock in the morning. Do you want me to walk me back to your dorm?"  
Buffy nodded her consent. It was nice to have a gentleman around for once. When she got back to her dorm room, after being given a caste kiss on the cheek from Jimmy, she rang Willow. After hanging up from her drowsy friend she laid back on her bed and went over the night she had just had. _What the hell did Willow mean by 'Government commando guy? That girl has weird dreams._

Buffy and Jimmy had arranged to meet for lunch the next day. Buffy had gotten up on time for once, she wanted to make a good impression and she thought being college girl would do that. Her ten o' clock Modern Lit wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be. _I might just keep this up. It's pretty interesting. _Willow, needless to say, was  
very happy with this new and improved Buffy and decided to approve of this Jimmy fellow.

"Hey you." Buffy sat down at the table in the canteen where Jimmy was looking fab, as ever. He looked up from his book and smiled at her.

"Hey Buffy. How are you? I hope you got enough sleep and I didn't keep you out too late last night?"  
"No way. I'm not much of a sleeper anyway. Never really was. So what ya up to?"  
"Just some reading for my next lecture. The more you study Freud, the less interesting he becomes!"  
"I can imagine that alright!", laughed Buffy.  
"So you wanna do something tonight? Like go for dinner maybe?" Jimmy seemed very nervous and was looking down at his shoes a lot. _Poor boy. _Buffy smiled and accepted his offer.  
"It has to be kinda late though cause I have some stuff to do first." _Stupid slaying_  
"Ya, sure, that's fine. I'll pick you up about nine?" She had never seen him look as happy as he did right now.  
"That would be great. I'll see you tonight so. I gotta run now. Bye."  
"Bye." Jimmy looked after the retreating blond beauty with a goofy smile on his face. _That girl's got me trapped._

"Hello Buffy."  
"Hey Giles. So what's the big bad this time? Please tell me it isn't too big. I got a date tonight."  
"Ah yes, Willow told me about him. Jimmy is it? Well you should be finished in time for your date. Nothing you can't handle I dare say."  
"OK so what is it? Vamp?"  
"As a matter of fact it is. Nice to go back to basics, hmm?"  
"Ya, basics! So what do we know about this guy? Uber-vamp or just your run of the mill sleep by day, drink the blood of innocents by night kinda guy?"  
"Buffy! I wish you wouldn't be so blasé about your slaying. You know that…"  
"I know…Chosen One, one girl in every generation blah, blah, blah. Look Giles, I'm not giving out. I just need to shed a little humour on the situation every now and then, OK? So tell me about big bad."

**Chapter Four**

"You have got to be kidding me! Spike? But I dusted him? How is he  
back? Why is he back? This is just too weird."  
"All I know is that he's back."

It had been two weeks since Buffy had meet Jimmy and he was fantastic. It was hard keeping the slaying thing a secret from him but what else could she do? Now this had happened. Buffy slayed Spike two years ago. Why was he back? How was he back? But most importantly of all…where was he? Now she sat staring at Giles, waiting for answers.

"So where is he?" Buffy asked, voicing her thoughts.

'In the mansion.'

'The mansion? That's all I need, to go back to that dump. So what do I do? Dust him again?'

'I don't think you can do that Buffy. He amm…he has a soul.'

'A soul? What is this? The new vamp fashion accessory?' Buffy couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't even dust him…again.

'I don't know why it happened, or even how, but it has. You need to go to him and help him.'

'Is he in the same condition as Angel was or is he his own smarmy self?'

'Smarmy self, unfortunately. I think a wild animal would be easier to deal with but… Buffy you have to do this. The Powers That Be obviously think that he is important if he's back.'

'I know Giles. This is just way too much.' Giles looked at her leave the room with pity in his eyes. _Better her than me._

Buffy walked carefully into the old building. She didn't want to be surprised by him. She looked around the room that held so many memories for her. So much had happened in such a small space. She had hoped she had left all that behind her when she meet Jimmy. He was so great and caring that he made all the bad feelings go away. All the painful events that had happened in her short life seemed less now that he was with her. And now one of the most vile creatures that she had ever meet was back, and he had a soul.

'Hello pet.'

Buffy swung around, angry that she had been surprised the way that she hadn't wanted to be.

'Spike. I see you've made your way back. You just cant stay dead can you?'

'It's ok pet, I forgive you for killing me.' That made Buffy feel bad. She had forgotten that he had been dead for the last two years, because of her. She felt a modicum of regret, then she shook it aside. She was the Slayer, he was a vampire. She didn't need to feel bad for dusting him, that was her job. And she told him so.

' I know luv. I was just trying to get at ya. So you have come to take care of me?' He said this with his trademark smirk and that irritated Buffy so much. Why did he have to be so damn handsome? _Wait? Did I just think that Spike was handsome? Oh God, that is one complication I just don't need._

'Don't flatter yourself Spike. I'm just here 'cause Giles told me to. I'm leaving now in fact, I have a date but…'

'A date? So the ponce is still hanging around?'

'The who? Oh Angel, no he left.' Buffy swallowed at the memory, 'I have a new boyfriend now.'

'Vampire?'

'Why does everyone keep asking that? No. He's just a nice, normal boy. Not a daemon or vamp or anything.'

'Oh, right. I wonder how long that one will last. No matter how much you want to deny it pet, you need a little monster in your man. Ouch.'

Spike held the side of his face that Buffy had just punched and looked at her with murder in his eyes.

'I wouldn't have done that if I were you.'

'What are you going to do Spike? Glower at me? You have a soul now, Giles told me. You can't do anything to hurt me. Pity that new, shiny soul didn't make you a nicer guy all round. I'm leaving now. Do what you want, I don't care. Just stay out of my way.' Spike stared after the Slayer as she left the room. _God she's gorgeous. What? Did I just think that she was gorgeous? That is one complication I could do without._

Spike got his stuff together. He needed to get out of this place. Too many painful memories. This was where he died after all. Damn Slayer, how dare she stake him? He just wished he could remember where he had been for two years. Since the Powers had removed the memory, maybe it was better he didn't know. He doubted that it was anywhere nice. This soul thing was a bit of a pain though. He wasn't used to having a conscience. His victims screams kept him awake at night. All the terrible things he had done as William the Bloody came back to haunt him now. He felt regret for what he had done, especially to Buffy for some bizarre reason, but he was dammed if he was going to let it get the better of him. He was a bigger man than that, except he wasn't a man. That thought stopped him in his tracks. He wasn't a man, he wasn't a vampire…what was he?

'Fuck.'

**Chapter Five**

'You seem a little distracted tonight Buffy. Anything wrong?' Jimmy looked at her with concern._ She is so beautiful._

'It's nothing. Just some…amm...school work that isn't going too well.' Buffy looked at him with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

'What are you having problems with? Maybe I can help.' Willow said from behind her, a knowing look in her eyes.

'Oh hi Willow. Ya you can. Do you want to come over to my room tonight? You could bring Tara. I'll ring Xander and Anya. They could help too.'

'Are Xander and Anya even in college?' asked a confused Irish man.

'Well not strictly but they know a lot about amm… Modern Lit. You could call it private study I guess.' Buffy and Willow looked at one another. 'I guess that we should be hitting the road. Wanna get this sorted before it gets too late. School tomorrow and stuff. I'll see you soon babe. Tomorrow for lunch?'

'Sure thing. Good luck tonight.' He kissed her soundly on her lips that Buffy leaned into. She felt like she had never been kissed before. That was before the image of a certain bleached vampire entered her thoughts. She pulled back suddenly, shock evident on her face. _Dear God no. Please God no._

'Buffy you ok?' Jimmy looked confused.

'Ya I'm fine. I gotta go. See you tomorrow.' At that she ran out of the room. Both Willow and Jimmy looked after her in shock. Willow looked back to Jimmy and then dashed out the door after her friend.

'Buffy! Buffy!' Willow finally caught up with her at their dorm building. 'What the hell was that?'

'Sorry Will. Things are just a little strange lately. It's getting to me. I'll tell you about it when the guys arrive. I just need a little time to think right now. Can you ring them and I'll be back in ten?' Buffy pleaded.

'Sure thing Buff. Are you ok? I've never seen you like this. Is it a big bad?'

'No it's a big good, that's the problem.' Willow looked at her friends' retreating back, feeling very puzzled._ Big good?_

What the hell was wrong with her? Why was she thinking about Spike when her boyfriend was kissing her? That just wasn't normal. It wasn't that he was more handsome than Jimmy. I mean who could prefer Captain Peroxide over the natural sleekness of Jimmy's' dark locks? But on the other hand Buffy couldn't help but remember the times that she had seen Spike without his shirt. His chiselled features, his six-pack and the lean power concealed in his abs. _Stop thinking that way about Spikes abs! All you want or need is Jimmy. _But no matter how many times she told herself this, she couldn't stop fantasising about him. When she finally took in her surroundings, she noticed that she was outside a crypt in the graveyard. _What the hell am I doing here? _She felt a strong compulsion to go in. _Going into these things is never a good idea. _Despite her misgivings she went in. The place was a mess but there was a soft chair and a TV set. She sank into the chair with a feeling of relief. For some reason she felt safe here, which was strange considering she had never been here before and didn't know what kind of nasties could come through the door at any minute. The TV was on mute but was showing an episode of 'Passions'.

'That's strange.'

'What's strange pet?' Buffy leapt up out of the chair and came face to face with the object of her recent fantasies.

'Spike? What are you doing here?'

'I was about to ask you the same thing. Like my new pad?'

'You live here? Why did you leave the mansion?'

'Didn't feel much like staying in the place where I died Bit. Would you?' Buffy looked at him with compassion.

'I really am sorry about that, Spike.' He seemed a little disbelieving.

'What do you want Slayer?'

'I don't really know. I just sorta ended up here. I didn't know… I mean, I didn't realise..'

'It's ok Slayer. Do you want a drink?'

'You already found liquor?', Spike looked at her, 'Sorry, but I'm going to go with no.'

'Suit yourself.' Spike uncorked a bottle of Bourbon and took a swig, 'Sure you don't want any?' Buffy shook her head.

'I think that we need to figure out why you're here. There has to be some reason why this has happened to you. We need to find out why the Powers would bring _you_ back.'

'Me? Is that what bothers you most about this situation, that it's me?'

'No. What bothers me most about this situation', Buffy replied hotly, 'is the fact that I'm thinking about you when my boyfriend is kissing me!'

'You're what?'

**Chapter Six**

'What?' Xander stared at Buffy after she had explained what had happened. The rest of the Scoobies seemed as shocked.

'What do you mean Spike is back? And he has a soul? How…'Willow exclaimed.

'Will! I've been through all this. We just don't know why this happened but we need to look on the bright side. We now have another powerful, strong ally. That's all we need at the moment…'

'However much I hate to say it, I think we are going to need more than Spike at this stage.' The scoobies looked around to see Giles enter the room, cleaning his glasses furiously and looking very worried. 'We have a bit of a problem. There seems to be a new evil in town and it's big. We are going to need all the help we can get on this one.'

'Apocalypse?' Buffy asked quietly.

'Afraid so. We are up against a daemon called Mack'et. He is an ancient bringer of death. Ancient peoples summoned him to rid them of their enemies, but he got too powerful to be controlled any longer. He broke out of his bondage and proceeded to reek havoc on the world. A very powerful Slayer managed to stop him by imprisoning him in a magical vortex but she was destroyed herself in the effort,' Giles looked at Buffy's stricken face that was getting paler as he went on, 'The problem is that he somehow escaped from his prison and has made his way to the Hellmouth where he can finish what he started… to destroy the world.'

'So that's his plan?', Xander asked, 'To open the Hellmouth? Aren't there only so many ways to do that? Rituals and things? If we stop him being able to get the ingredients for his 'release Hell-on-Earth soup' then it should be fine. All we have to do is find the things that he needs and destroy them…right?'

'Good idea Xander but it won't work, ' Giles replied, 'Mack'et is pure evil. He has enough power in his own being to open the Hellmouth and not get destroyed.'

'Boy that's powerful.' The scoobies looked at Anya, 'Well it is! So how do we stop him?'

'The only thing that strikes me at the moment is that it is a bit of a coincidence that this beast and Spike came back at the same time, by my calculations within minutes of each other. That's a bit close for chance.' Everyone descended into silence after Giles made this revelation.

'So the answer is Spike?' They looked at Buffy. 'He's the one who has to stop this thing? Don't you guys think he should be in on this conversation if he might have to die… again?' The silence seemed to intensify at this comment.

'Oh course you're right Buffy, ' Giles broke the stillness of the moment.' I'll go to the mansion and tell him.'

'He's not there, ' Buffy said, 'He moved out. I'll go tell him…I know where he is.'

For the second time that evening Buffy found herself outside Spikes crypt. _At least this time I know what to expect._ But she knew that she didn't really. How would Spike react? After she had ran out of the crypt following her unintentional confession, she never thought she would have to face him again so soon. _This is going to be difficult._

She entered the small dark space.

'Spike? Are you here? Spike?'

'What is it this time Slayer?' The voice came from inside a sarcophagus. 'More revelations for me?' Spike ascended from the stone coffin. He was topless. Buffy looked at his half naked form. _That's all I need._

'We need to talk,' she said, apparently ignoring his previous comment. 'We need your help.' Spike looked at her suspiciously.

'Well that's a tall order', he commented after Buffy had told him what was going on. 'What do I have to do?'

'So you are willing to help us?'

'Why not? Maybe I'll be able to find out why I was brought back, or find out that this is indeed why I was brought back. I figure that's worth the risk.'

'I guess so. Listen I have to go. I still haven't patrolled tonight and I have school in the morning and…'

'And you want to get away from me. Is that right Slayer?'

'No it's not! I do have stuff to do.' Buffy looked down at the ground. _Why does he always make me feel like a naughty child?_ Spike chuckled at her obvious embarrassment.

'Don't worry about it pet. I know. You have a life to lead and I don't. I understand. Go patrol and go to school and be with your human boyfriend.'

'Right. I will. We are going to have a Scoobie meeting tomorrow night at Giles's place so you had better come.' With that Buffy turned and started towards the door.

'Buffy!'

'What?' She turned and looked him right in the eyes.

'Be careful.' Buffy nodded her thanks and left to go kill some bad guys and try to forget the image of the bleached vampire.

'BOO!'

'AHH!' Buffy swung around and grasped the shoulder of the person who had jumped out behind her. Before he knew it, the assailant was on the ground, gasping for breath and staring up at the blonde beauty who had a stake to his breast.

'Buffy! What the hell are you doing?'

'Jimmy! Oh my God, I'm so sorry. What are you doing here?' she said as she helped him off the ground.

'I was walking home and I saw you. I thought I'd play a little trick on you but you…ahh!' Buffy threw him out of the way as she noticed a vampire sneaking up on them. Jimmy watched the fight from his position on the ground. _How the hell does she know how to fight like that?_ His shock at her fighting skills was surpassed by his shock when she dusted the vamp. He slowly stood up and looked from the pile of dust at Buffy's feet to her face and back again. He was numb from the experience and he just turned and started to walk away.

'Jimmy!' Buffy called after him.

'No Buffy. I just need some time to think about this.'

'But I need to explain.' Buffy pleaded.

'I don't think I want you to Buffy. Lets just call it a break for a while ok? I just don't know what to make of this yet.'

'OK', Buffy mumbled and watched the man of her dreams walk away. _But is he still the man of your dreams?_ Not now, she told herself. She went back to her dorm room and cried herself to sleep. Outside her window Spike heard her crying into her pillow. He felt for her and wished he could take away her pain. _I wonder what happened to make her so sad?_

**Chapter Seven**

Buffy awoke to the sound of soft tapping on her door. She ran to the door in case it was Jimmy. She threw open the door and jumped into the strong arms that awaited outside it. She started to give Jimmy a kiss when she saw who it really was. She drew back from Spike sharply. He looked at her still puffy face and felt a twinge in his heart, or he would if his heart was beating. She brought out this feeling of protectiveness in him that even Dru never got.

'What's wrong pet?' he asked her kindly.

'Jimmy.. Sniff.. Jimmy broke up with me.' At that Buffy broke into a wail and went in to sit on her bed. She looked up questioningly at Spike who never followed her.

'I can't come in unless you invite me pet but I understand if…'

'Come in Spike.' She said looking directly into his eyes. He entered the room shutting the door behind him. As he looked at the young woman before him, he wondered how anyone could hurt her like this.

Buffy continued crying into her hands and Spike shuffled uncomfortably before her.

'I think I should be leaving. You obviously need some time on your own'.

'No Spike, don't leave. I don't think I can be alone tonight. Do you… do you mind staying with me?' Buffy looked up at him coyly. She hoped he would stay, she felt like it would make her feel safer. She was a bit fragile at the moment. As much as she was upset about the end of her relationship with Jimmy, what scared her more was the fact that she was now free and the man that she couldn't stop thinking about was in her room, alone, at night.

'Sure. I'll ah.. Sleep on the chair.'

'No! I mean…you can stay in the bed with me if you want.' Spike swallowed at her words and nodded mutely. _What the hell is she playing at? Is this a trick? Or could she want me? _He didn't dare to hope. He slid into the double bed beside her. Buffy sighed and placed her head on his arm, her hand wrapped itself around his waist and she closed her eyes, feeling secure for the first time in years. Spike snaked his free hand around her shoulders and hugged her to him. He could feel her heart beating against his chest and could sense her blood pulsing through her veins quicker than normal. _Quicker than normal?_ He looked down at her and saw her bottomless blue eyes staring into his. For once there was no blush of embarrassment on her face when he caught her looking at him. Her hand reached up to stroke his face.

'Buffy?'

'Sush!' She placed her finger on his lips. There was no need for words, he knew that. He looked into her eyes again and saw a resolve there that he knew only too well. It was the look she wore when she had killed him two years ago. What was he doing? What were they doing? He knew there were two of them in this. What was she thinking right now? But as her lips brushed against his he didn't care anymore. This was heaven. Since he had gotten his soul back he never thought that he would be lucky enough to feel the pleasure and peace that it cried out for, screamed for. For one brief, yet timeless moment, he was at peace. His soul relaxed into him and for once didn't torture him. This girl could make him feel whole, make him a man. He deepened the kiss and she responded. The pleasure of her lips was like a balm on his heart and then a searing pain ripped through his chest.

Spike screamed and fell off the bed clutching his chest. Buffy crouched down beside him, attempting to stop him tearing at his chest. He was producing long, evil looking gashes above his heart.

'Spike! Spike, what is it? What's wrong? Talk to me Spike! Stop it, you're scaring me. Spike!'

Finally, after what felt like hours, he stopped destroying himself and looked up at Buffy.

'My heart…'

'What about your heart? Spike talk to me, tell me what's wrong.' The concern in Buffy's' voice was heart wrenching. At that thought Spike jerked again.

'My heart…'

'Yes?'

'…is beating.'

'My God.' Buffy reached down and placed a finger against his neck. She could feel a pulse there. Just to be sure she out her head on his chest and could feel and hear the fast, rhythmic beating of his heart. She looked up at him again in shock.

'But how?', she asked.

'I don't know but…it hurts Buffy.' He stifled a scream. He hadn't felt his heartbeat in nearly two hundred years. He wasn't used to this thing beating, pounding against his ribs.

'We need to get you to a hospital.' Spike opened his mouth to argue but Buffy silenced him.

'I don't know how but you are human now and I need a doctor to look at you. Your heart is beating too fast and those gashes are deep. They might need stitches.' Spike nodded his assent.

'Hello?'

'Giles, You need to come to the hospital right now.'

'Buffy? But… what's wrong? Are you…'

'I'm fine. It's Spike.'

Spike? Buffy…'

'I'll explain everything when you get here, I promise. Just get here.'

**Chapter Eight**

'This is unprecedented. I have never heard of a vampire becoming human again. What was he doing when this happened?'

'Well ah..' Buffy looked around at the whole gang and started blushing. _I really have to stop blushing._

'We were kissing.' she said with renewed strength in her voice.

'Kissing! Buffy but he's a…'

'Not anymore Xander and I need to find out why. What are the Powers playing at Giles?'

'I have no idea. I could go and see the Oracle in LA but they are not known for their helpfulness.'

'You still have to go Giles. If we're going to defeat Mack'et then we need Spike at full strength and as a human he's…'

'Stronger than I ever felt.' Spike walked into the room. He opened his shirt to show his chest. The marks were gone. 'I may be human now but I'm a quick healer. Handy huh?'

'Well that's convenient!', Xander looked Spike up and down, 'So now you're Mr. Superhuman Guy think you can help us get rid of Mack'et? Or are you going to use your new powers for doing what you like best, killing…'

'Xander!', Buffy looked at him disapprovingly, 'Now is not the time to be taking your angst out on Spike. He's human now and that's all that matters.'

'I guess. I still don't trust him Buffy. And I don't think you should either.'

'I trust him Xander. You have just got to believe me.'

'If you are finished talking about me like I wasn't here, do you think we could get out of here? Hospitals make me nauseous.'

Buffy decided to walk Spike home, she still wasn't too confident that he was strong enough to repel any attackers. And also she wanted the excuse to spend more time with him.

'Crazy couple of days huh?' she asked him.

'You could say that.' Buffy stopped walking and looked at him.

'I'll figure this thing out, I promise.'

'I know you will Buffy.' They stared at each other for another intense moment until Spike bent his head and brushed his lips off hers. 'I trust you too.' With that parting word, he stalked into his crypt and Buffy sensed he didn't want to be followed. _I'd want some time to figure it out as well._

'So this is where you spend your time now Spike?' Spike knew who was talking before he even turned around.

'Good to see you again Mack'et. Didn't take you long to find me did it?'

'Well it shouldn't considering I'm the one who raised you. Don't you want to say thank you?' Spike looked at the evil being that was his friend.

'You? What could you possibly want with me? You never hid the fact that you didn't think vampires were worth much did you?'

'You were always the exception to the rule Spike. The only vampire I called friend, only your re-emergence into this world didn't work the way I had planned it. I really didn't want you to have a soul. You were so perfect in your evil form, so pure and uncorrupted by the disease of humanity. Now…gone. All gone. I am sorry for what I have done to you my friend.'

'Don't worry about it. Could have been worse…I could remember where I was. Do I want to remember?'

'Not now that you have a soul. The memory would kill you instantly. Irony is ironic like that. But what confuses me most is that I can hear a heartbeat, where is the human that causes it?' Mack'et looked around the small space until his gaze once again stopped on Spike. 'You?'

'Well now that you mention it…'

'Human? It can't be. You haven't fallen in love have you? Already? I made sure that Drucella was out of the way so you wouldn't feel emotion until much later. Who could have caused such a reaction in you?' The daemon looked deeper into the mans eyes. 'Is that a Slayer I see in those murky depths? My word William, you do work fast. You could only have become human if the object of your desires loved you back. Has a vampire found a Slayer to love him? I wonder if she knows yet?' He laughed a laugh only the purely evil can master. A deep chilling sound.

'What do you want Mack'et?' Spikes eyes held no humour in them to mirror Mack'ets. 'I kinda want to get on with my life here.'

'I brought you back so you could help me Spike.'

'Help you how exactly?'

'To open the Hellmouth. End the world. Release Hell on Earth.'

'Oh…'

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

'So will you help me?'

'I have to think about this mate. It's not the sort of decision you can make over night. What would happen to me and can I even help you, the state I'm in?' Mack'et looked at the ex-vampire and smirked.

'Do you really think I brought you back just because you were my friend? Oh no my fangless fiend, this was no coincidence. I have been planning this for years, stuck in that Hell the Slayer imprisoned me in. I have been watching your career as William the Bloody and I have been impressed by you. But other than that there is a property in your blood that will help me immensely. Vampire or human, it exists. It will open the Hellmouth without the need for those pesky rituals. I could do it myself but the effort could kill me. All I need from you is a drop of blood. It wont kill you and I can promise you protection when my plans come to fruition…it wouldn't be that hard to find a vampire to sire you again. Would you like that?' Spike looked disbelievingly at Mack'et.

'Are you mad? I'm human now. Do you honestly believe that I would help you? Apart from anything else, I love the Slayer. I'm afraid not mate. I'm going to do all I can to stop you.'

'I was afraid of that since I heard that you had regained your soul. Well, I'll just have to do it without your permission. Goodnight Spike.' A foul venom shot out of the daemons mouth and hit Spike in the face.

'What the…' Spike fell onto the floor in a limp heap. Unaware of what was going on, he was dragged out of his crypt into the murky dawn.

Buffy stretched in her bed. _Thank God it's Saturday. No need to get up._ But remembering the events of the previous day she thought she would go and see Spike, just to make sure he was ok of course. As she approached the crypt her Spider Sense kicked in and she knew something was wrong. Noticing drag marks leading away from it she knew they were the product of Spikes ungainly departure from the crypt. _Damn it._

'Oh dear Lord' Giles sat down heavily and started cleaning his glasses. What he had just read sent a shiver down his spine.

'What was that Giles?' Xander looked at him questioningly, glancing up from a dusty volume that he didn't even understand. Turning to Anya he asked, 'Is this even in English.' Anya glanced at it and silently shook her head. Xander slammed the book shut.

'I said, Oh dear Lord. I've just found out why Spike was brought back…and by whom.'

Buffy pulled her vibrating cell phone out of her jeans pocket. The screen said 'Giles Home'. _What's happened now?_ After she hung up she headed straight for the old High School and the Hellmouth. She hoped the drag marks meant that Spike was unwilling to help Mack'et but she wasn't sure…and that worried her. Could she really trust Spike?

**Chapter Nine**

The old library was a mess. There was a massive hole in the ground where the stacks used to be. The place seemed greyer and smaller and more, well, blown up than it did a few months before. But other than the obvious devastation that prevailed was a sense that something evil was afoot. There was an unnatural stillness in the air that Buffy never remembered being there before. She stepped over fallen beams gingerly, trying not to make any noise. The demolished room was deathly quite. Buffy could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears and her breath made an icy cloud in front of her face. It was too cold. She moved further into the room, the temperature dropping at every step. There were broken bookshelves and loose pages strewn around the floor. The going was tough, clambering over all that debris with the minimum amount of noise but she knew the sound of her heart was filling the silence. The eerie stillness surrounded her until she heard something other than her heartbeat, the rhythmic clunking of another heart- Spike. As she turned the last corner she saw him. He was hanging, crucifix style, from a suspended beam above the spot where she knew the Hellmouth to be. He seemed unharmed except for the fact that he was unconscious. Abandoning stealth and caution, Buffy ran to him in an attempt to get him down. Concern for the man she loved the only thing that drove her on. He was unconscious. An unwilling partner in all this. She was right to trust him. How could she have ever doubted him?

As Buffy reached up to release Spike a voice rang out from the darkness surrounding them.

'Did you really think it would be that easy Slayer? That I wouldn't be expecting you to come and rescue your loved one? You seem to do that a lot don't you Slayer? Rescue your inept friends. But this shall be the time that you finally fail. You've had a good run, lasted longer than most, did more _good_ than most. Whatever good is. Have you ever wondered about this endless war that we fight Chosen One? Have you ever felt dismay at the choices that we have to face just so we can survive for one more battle? Have you ever looked at this Mouth of Hell beneath your feet and wondered 'what if I just let it open? Let it take me and all my pain?'. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to die? To feel that peace?' Buffy peered in to the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice. She just needed somewhere to aim. She tried not to listen to his words but they rang too much of the truth. Suddenly she felt a strong arm close around her throat, a heavy, evil smell invading her senses and the voice…the last voice that she would ever hear.

'Do you want to feel peace Slayer?' it turned into a whisper, 'Because you are about to.' Buffy's world was going dark. She could feel the peace that Mack'et spoke of coming to embrace her, envelope her in its warm arms. The pain in her lungs was searing, her oxygen-starved brain was screaming for relief but her mouth uttered no sound. Through the mist that was surrounding her the voice came one last time.

'I won Slayer. It was never Spike's blood that I needed…it was yours. You fell for my trick. Your predictable humanity finally let you down. Your willingness to fall in love and rescue those close to you. Let your dying thought be that at last you did something worthwhile, something you will be remembered for…you ended the world.' Eventually the pain started to lessen and all she could see was the blackness…and she welcomed it with a single tear running down her cheek.

'Buffy!' Spikes tortured scream rang out in the now silent room. Mack'et let her limp form slide to the ground.

'Don't worry friend. She's not dead. I need her blood while she is still alive but she will never know that she is not dead, I don't intend to ever let her wake up.' He looked up at Spike struggling wildly against his bindings and smiled a little smile. 'You however, I am going to keep alive. If only to teach you a lesson in loyalty.' Hs cruel face was suddenly very close to Spikes own, an evil leer upon his features.

'Buffy!'

The sound found its way into Buffy's mind. How it got there she didn't know but she knew the voice. It was Spike. He was calling for her, he needed her. She had to help him. She couldn't let him die at the hands of that mad man. _I love him. _With a start she realised that that was true. She had to save him no matter what, even if she had to die in the process. She shook the mist away from her mind and opened her eyes. She saw Spike and Mack'et talking. He was saying something about teaching Spike a lesson, the evil look on his face didn't bode well. She rose silently from the ground, making sure not to make a sound. She was sure she had even stopped her heart beating. Buffy picked up the crossbow, which was conveniently at her feet and aimed for the monsters back. She took aim and fired. The arrow whizzed out of the bow as if in slow motion, twisting and turning in the air. A thing of deadly beauty. The Slayer watched as the sharpened, poisoned shaft embedded itself in Mack'ets spine, at precisely the right spot for Willows potion to work. The daemon swung around, looked at the Slayer and started to laugh.

'Do you really think your puny arrow will have any effect on me? Do you think you can kill me that easily?' Buffy stared into those empty eyes, devoid of any emotion other than hate and answered him:

'No. I don't think that arrow will have any effect on you but the magic potion that'll send you back to the hell that you came from will.' And she allowed her own smirk to alight on her face. Mack'et screamed at this information and made a lunge for Buffy. She deftly stepped out of his way and let him go hurtling to the ground. Once there he started to glow and spin until there was nothing left. Buffy and Spike looked at the spot where this menace used to be and smiled. They had won…again.


End file.
